My Girl
by Emily Elizabeth
Summary: N&S Sequel to Life and Death. An elusive internet stalker, blossoming romances, and a new baby on the way aren't the only things Nick and Sara are dealing with: another woman turns their life upside down, only this time she's from Sara's past.
1. Chapter One

Title: My Girl  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned CSI, I wouldn't be writing this on such a cheap computer. Actually, I wouldn't be writing this at all. I'd be sitting in my La-Z-Boy watching it on my plasma flat screen TV with George Eads and Gary Dourdan at my beck and call. So basically the only one I own is Lexi, and any other characters you don't recognize are also mine. Happy now?  
  
Author's Note: By popular demand, this is the sequel to Life and Death! (You'll want to read that one before you read this one, or I promise you'll be thoroughly confused) I hope that this won't be as drawn out as L&D (that story took me almost a year to write, if you can believe it) but I also hope I'll get as much enjoyment from writing this story as I did for Life and Death. This story is for everyone who has reviewed any of my stories, because your feedback and encouragement is what keeps me writing, but especially to everyone who read and reviewed Life and Death. Thank you so much.  
  
Dedication: Since this story is for my readers, each chapter is going to be dedicated to someone whose reviews and encouragement have touched me. So this first chapter is dedicated to the one and only MissyJane, who has reviewed everything I've ever written without fail, and has never stopped offering positive feedback for all of my stories, and who also is one of the sweetest, kindest people I've met in the fan fiction community. Missy, this chapter, and this story, is for you. Thank you so much for all of your positive and encouraging words.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
She held both hands around the steaming mug of coffee as she settled herself comfortably in the computer chair and opened her Instant Messenger.  
  
dmw7665: hey.been awhile.how r u?  
  
reesew862: ok.u?  
  
dmw7665: same.clarks gettin worse  
  
reesew862: that's too bad  
  
dmw7665: yeah.pretty stressful  
  
dmw7665: but im dealing with it  
  
dmw7665: :-S  
  
reesew862: it'll get better  
  
dmw7665: hope so.not sure how much longer I can deal with it.  
  
reesew862: things will be okay sooner than you think  
  
dmw7665: lol.pretty confidant huh?  
  
dmw7665: cite your sources, reese  
  
dmw7665: lol :-D  
  
reesew862: I'll take care of it.  
  
dmw7665: lol  
  
She smiled and took a sip from the mug.  
  
reesew862: I want to take care of you, D.  
  
reesew862: you won't have to worry about clark anymore  
  
reesew862: I'm your savior.  
  
Her smile fell as she read the cryptic words on the screen.  
  
dmw7665: you're creeping me out, reese.  
  
She waited a moment, her eyes glued to the screen as she held tightly to the warm mug, but no response came.  
  
dmw7665: r u there?  
  
reesew862: good-bye, D.  
  
Her head turned at the sound of heavy footsteps coming toward her, but the only thing she saw was the glint of the knife as her killer raised it in the air.  
  
The coffee mug shattered as it hit the floor.  
  
She screamed.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
CLICK!  
  
Sara Stokes snapped a picture of the body, a young woman whose perfectly shaped, full bow lips and porcelain skin framed by billowing charcoal ringlets would have been pretty had it not been for the panic etched across her still features and the puddle of blood surrounding her and staining the thick blue carpet.  
  
"Do we have an ID yet?" she asked as the camera clicked again.  
  
"Vic's name is Marissa Cramer. Age twenty two," Brass answered in his usual curt tone as he glanced at the notepad in his hand.  
  
"Jesus," Warrick commented, letting out a low whistle from the other side of the room, where he was dusting the back door for prints. "Only twenty two?"  
  
Brass said nothing but offered a sympathetic half-smile as Warrick turned back to his work.  
  
"I got some hairs," Sara noticed aloud as she put the camera down, "But they look more like dog hairs than anything else."  
  
"Bag it anyway," Warrick answered.  
  
Sara held up the small plastic bag that she had just deposited the short hairs in. "Already ahead of ya, War," she replied with a wink as she pulled a black marker from her kit and labeled the bag.  
  
Warrick laughed. "What makes you so sure they're dog hairs? What about a cat?"  
  
Sara shook her head as she continued poring over the body, searching in vain for any other sign of evidence. "Please. With Simba shedding all over the place, I think I know dog hair. Besides, it's too coarse for a cat."  
  
Warrick laughed again as he peeled the sticky sheet and lifted a print from the doorknob.  
  
"Got anything?" Sara called.  
  
Warrick shrugged. "A few partials, nothing too promising. But a man can dream," he answered as he labeled the print he had just lifted.  
  
"I'm not finding anything," Sara complained, rising from her crouched position and stretching her back. "This guy's good. Too good."  
  
Warrick sighed as he prepared to lift another not-so-promising partial. "He had to mess up somewhere. We just gotta find it."  
  
"You sound like Grissom," Sara said with a laugh as she searched the carpet surrounding the body of Marissa Cramer.  
  
Warrick couldn't help the laugh that passed his lips as he flattened a Mylar sheet on the cool tile entranceway floor. "Now I really know I'm working too hard."  
  
"Hey guys," David, the coroner's assistant greeted as he rushed into the tiny apartment, shoulders heaving with sharp breaths. "Sorry I'm late."  
  
"It's okay," Warrick assured the out-of-breath man standing in the doorway.  
  
"I'll be right back," Brass announced as he pulled his cell phone from his waistband and held it up. "Gotta make a call."  
  
Sara and Warrick nodded as Brass stepped outside and David positioned himself near the body.  
  
"Ooh, stabbing. Haven't had one of them in a while," David commented as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves. Sara and Warrick exchanged a glance at the coroner's enthusiasm.  
  
Sara stepped back and let the young coroner do his work as she slowly paced the living room, taking in her surroundings and trying to get a feel for the victim's lifestyle.  
  
"Practically no signs of life," she commented, "No photos, no paintings, nothing that would reflect her personality, not even any clutter." She paused as she reached the computer desk, where papers, catalogs, and disks were strewn haphazardly. "Except here."  
  
A moment later Warrick was beside her, eyeing the out-of-place desk with the same amount of interest. "Another Donna Marks?"  
  
Sara shrugged. "Could be. Too soon to tell."  
  
"Why don't we bag some of those disks and see what's on them," Warrick suggested. "Could be something relevant."  
  
Sara nodded and bagged the floppy disks, as well as a few of the papers, while David interrupted them from behind with a subtle cough.  
  
"What can you tell us, David?" Sara asked, flashing her characteristic gap- toothed smile at the man who blushed in return. Although the coroner's assistant's flirting had cut down since Nick and Sara's marriage a year before, Sara still enjoyed seeing him squirm when she offered a flirtatious comment or smile.  
  
"Time of death approximately three hours ago," he answered. "Single stab through the heart, with what looks to be a butcher knife, but you'll have to wait till the autopsy to be sure."  
  
"Norman Bates style," Sara commented.  
  
"Not exactly," David replied. "This killer knew what he was doing. Only one entry wound, straight through the heart. It's like he wanted it to be as painless as possible."  
  
"Don't assume anything, David," Sara said with a wink and a smirk. Turning towards the kitchen, she said, "I'm going to see if our killer left us a present."  
  
She headed toward the sink and checked it for any signs of the knife or blood, but found neither. After checking each drawer and finding nothing, she pulled open the bottom cabinet and pulled out the garbage can. She dug through the refuse, which mostly consisted of empty take-out containers, and a smile spread across her lips as she found what she was looking for.  
  
"Christmas comes a little earlier this year," she said to herself as she held the large butcher knife out in front of her, still covered in what was most likely Marissa Cramer's blood. "Hey Warrick, come here. I think I found our murder weapon."  
  
Warrick entered the kitchen and smiled when he saw the knife that Sara held triumphantly in one gloved hand. "I told you he had to mess up somewhere. Didn't even bother to clean it off."  
  
Sara smiled again as she bagged and labeled the crucial piece of evidence.  
  
"I think we're done," Sara said as she rose from the floor. "Did you get anything else?"  
  
"A foot print from the back door, and a few orange fibers, but that's about it," Warrick answered. "But hopefully we'll get something off that knife."  
  
"Hopefully," Sara agreed with a smile as she grabbed her field kit in one hand and walked toward the door, Warrick following.  
  
They said good-bye to Brass and David, who was supervising as Marissa Cramer's body was removed from the crime scene, and entered the Tahoe, Sara in the driver's seat. She glanced at the digital numbers on the clock and pursed her lips in thought, her eyes traveling upward as her brow crinkled.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts," Warrick said as the Tahoe rounded a corner and stopped at a red light.  
  
Sara laughed and shook her head. "Nothing. It's stupid."  
  
"No, tell me," he replied with a smile.  
  
"It's just that--" She paused, shaking her head while a blush crept across her cheeks. "When he tells you the time of death, do you ever, you know, think about it?"  
  
"I'm not following you."  
  
"I mean, do you ever think about what you were doing, you know, when someone's life was ending?" She glanced over at him as the light changed and she pressed her foot lightly on the gas pedal. "Like this case, for example. I was trying to figure out what I was doing three hours ago, when Marissa Cramer was murdered."  
  
"And what were you doing?"  
  
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she responded. "Nick and I were tucking Lexi into bed, and she read us a chapter of 'Harriet the Spy'."  
  
"She's still into that book?" Warrick asked incredulously.  
  
"Yeah. She must have read it a dozen times already," Sara replied. "It's her favorite. Grissom's got great taste in books."  
  
A year ago, at Lexi's seventh birthday party, Grissom had given the bubbly blonde-haired girl a copy of Harriet the Spy, and it soon became one of her most treasured possessions. When she wasn't reading it, which was rare, it was kept in a place of honor in the box of treasures that Lexi's mother, Carrie, had given her daughter before she died.  
  
"Does she have the movie?" he asked.  
  
Sara shook her head. "No. We rented it once, and she loved it, but we didn't get around to buying it yet."  
  
"Maybe I'll get her that for her birthday," Warrick said. "I haven't been able to think of anything."  
  
"She'll love whatever you give her, as long as you show up," Sara replied. "This Saturday. One o'clock. It's gonna be the party of the year," she continued with a smirk.  
  
"Nick said her whole class from school is invited?"  
  
Sara sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "She's friends with everyone, and she didn't want to leave anyone out. Besides, we wanted this birthday to be special. She doesn't have many fond memories of last year's," Sara said regretfully. "So we're going all out. We let her pick out any cake she wanted, hired a magician, and rented one of those blow up things that the kids can jump in."  
  
"Damn," Warrick whistled. "Wish I was eight years old. That must have hurt your wallet."  
  
Sara shrugged. "Yeah, but we wanted to do it. The party's going to be her big present: we just got her some clothes, because she's growing like crazy, and nothing fits anymore," she explained. "And it's just this once: next year we're not spending half as much on a party."  
  
Warrick nodded as Sara pulled into the CSI parking lot and shut off the engine. He stepped out of the car, field kit in hand, and Sara opened the door to get out, but paused and picked up the picture from the dashboard, the picture from the carnival over a year before when Nick had proposed.  
  
A smile crossed her lips and a warmth spread through her heart as she looked at the three people in the picture, cuddled together with chocolate ice cream cones in hand. A few months before, she and Nick had legally become Lexi's parents, with help from Katie Jenkins, Carrie's friend who doubled as her attorney, and every day since then had been filled with so much joy.  
  
Sara smiled again as she finally she put the picture back on the dashboard and exited the vehicle, not being able to wait until she could go home and see the girl who was her daughter in every sense of the word.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
A/N~ So what do you guys think so far? I have sooo many ideas for this story, and I can't wait to write more, but I want to know what you think. Oh yeah: I don't own the book or the movie Harriet the Spy, so please don't sue me. (Well, actually I own both, but you know what I mean. :-D)  
  
And I realize that they no longer drive the Tahoes, but my friends and I have an inside joke with them, and for sentimental reasons I decided not to switch to Denali's. So if that offends anyone, I apologize.  
  
~Emily 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of CSI. The only characters that are mine are Lexi and any other characters you don't recognize.  
  
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me: Sam, Jacqueline, Emmy, csifan1, Sweet Jorja, csifan2000, candaceFABULOUS, Pretty Perfect, Amanda, Lil'River, Megs23, CSIaddict, MissyJane, and Nepeace. Thank you so much.  
  
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to LynnM, who I can always count on for encouraging words about my stories. I don't think there's a story I've written that she hasn't reviewed. Thank you so much, Lynn. Your heartening words don't go unnoticed.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The keys clanged softly as Sara dropped them on the end table in the hall. Shrugging off her lightweight black jacket and hanging it up, she called, "I'm home!"  
  
As soon as the words left her mouth, a large black and tan mutt bounded into the room, scampering around her, tail wagging and collar jangling.  
  
"Hey, Simba," she said to the dog as she quickly scratched his ears.  
  
"We're in here!" she heard Lexi call from the other room, and she smiled as she walked towards the kitchen.  
  
"'Morning, munchkin," Sara greeted, kissing the top of Lexi's forehead and walking around the table to Nick, who sat at his customary spot with a mug of steaming coffee in front of him. "'Morning," she said, leaning over to give her husband a quick kiss. "Have a nice night off?"  
  
Nick nodded with a smile as he pulled Sara onto his lap draped his arm around her shoulder. "It was great. How was work?"  
  
Sara shrugged. "Fine. Nothing exciting."  
  
Nick laughed. "Want some breakfast? Rosa made pancakes."  
  
Sara shook her head. "No thanks. Where is she anyway?"  
  
Rosa Garcia had been hired as the Stokes family housekeeper shortly after Carrie's death. They needed someone to be there for Lexi while they were working, since neither wanted to quit their jobs, or worse, switch to day shift and the wrath of Ecklie. Katie had suggested a live-in housekeeper or nanny, insisting that it would make the adoption simpler. Reluctantly they had agreed, but now all three members of their family couldn't imagine life without her.  
  
Nick took a final gulp of coffee before answering. "Her daughter's flying in from New York, remember? She had to go pick her up at the airport. She left right before you got in."  
  
Sara nodded as she recalled Rosa asking for the day off. "Right. I'm just gonna change my clothes and then I'll drive you to school, Lex."  
  
"Okay," Lexi said as she took a swig of her orange juice.  
  
"I can take her," Nick offered. "You look just about ready to pass out," he said lightly, rubbing his wife's back.  
  
A small laugh escaped Sara's mouth. "Yeah, I am a little tired. But I can still take her," she insisted. At the look Nick gave her she laughed and put up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. You can take her."  
  
A grin stretched across Nick's face. "Thank you."  
  
Lexi giggled at her parents' banter. "Sara?" she began, swallowing a forkful of pancake.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Um, me and Daddy were talking about my birthday dinner, and I decided what I wanted," she said slowly, exchanging a look with Nick. "Spaghetti."  
  
"Perfect," Sara said, "Easy to make, and no meat. My kind of meal."  
  
"With meatballs and sausage," she continued timidly, and Sara's face fell.  
  
"Lexi."  
  
"Come on, Sara," the little girl whined. "You said I could have anything I wanted, and I really want spaghetti with meatballs and sausage. You can just make the regular sauce and pasta and stuff, and Daddy can put in the meat. Please?" Lexi's brown eyes grew wide and innocent, and her bottom lip protruded in a pout.  
  
"Come on, honey," Nick said, joining in on the act and mimicking his daughter's expression. "She really wants it."  
  
"Fine," Sara conceded with a sigh, and Nick and Lexi exchanged triumphant high fives. "I'll make it for you, but only this one time, and only because it's your birthday."  
  
"Thanks, Sara," Lexi said, rising and wrapping her arms around Sara's neck and kissing her cheek. She grabbed her bowl and quickly dumped it in the sink, calling out, "I'm gonna go brush my teeth."  
  
When she was out of earshot, Sara turned in Nick's arms so that she was facing him. "You had something to do with this, didn't you?"  
  
Nick instantly put on the innocent façade. "I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"Oh, come on, Stokes," Sara said, "I'm sure the fact that spaghetti with meatballs and sausage is YOUR favorite dinner didn't play a part in our daughter's decision, did it?"  
  
"Of course not," Nick said, softly pushing Sara off his lap as he rose and brought his coffee mug to the sink, his wife trailing closely behind him. "But I'd just like to point out," he said as he dumped the mug into the metal basin and turned so that he was caught between Sara and the counter, Sara's hands placed one on each side of him, "That you'd make it for Lexi, but not for me."  
  
Sara narrowed her eyes at him. "Sneak."  
  
"Hypocrite."  
  
"Animal killer."  
  
"Fart face."  
  
Sara couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips at her husband's childish comment. "Juvenile," she countered, her lips pressed against his as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.  
  
"Ahem," Lexi coughed ever-so-subtly behind the couple, her backpack slung across one shoulder. "Is someone gonna take me to school?"  
  
Nick raised his hand up as Sara pulled away. "Meet you in the car," he said, and Lexi nodded, turning and heading out the door.  
  
Nick turned once again to Sara. "Rain check?"  
  
His wife grinned. "I'm counting on it."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Squeals and shouts filled the air the following Saturday, where children ran rampant on sugar-highs through the Stokes' backyard. Streamers and balloons had long since been pulled from the fences and tables, and now either lay popped and torn on the ground or affixed to the children's clothing. Sara grabbed two empty pizza boxes from the picnic table and walked toward the side of the house, where a large, black plastic garbage bag was stationed.  
  
"You guys are insane," Warrick commented as he watched the masses of screaming children run across the grass. "I don't know how you pulled this off."  
  
"Tell me about it," Sara said as she returned to the table, exhaustion filling her voice. "Never again."  
  
"I'd never have the guts to throw something like this for Lindsey," Catherine said as she took a sip of Sprite from the paper 'Happy Birthday!' cup in her hand. "Never in a million years, so she'd better enjoy this party."  
  
"The only thing I don't regret is springing for that magician," Nick said. "At least he kept them occupied for awhile."  
  
"I don't think twenty minutes makes up for what that guy cost," Sara replied. "If you ask me he was a rip off."  
  
Nick shrugged. "Lexi liked it. And the rest of the kids liked it. That's all that matters, I guess."  
  
Sara merely rolled her eyes and glanced at her watch. "There's only about an hour left. Do you think we should bring out the cake and presents?"  
  
Nick nodded. "Yeah, I'll bring out the cake. You round up the kids."  
  
"No, I'll go get the cake, Mr. Stokes," Rosa offered. "You stay here and enjoy the party."  
  
"It's okay, Rosa," Nick insisted, "I'll get it."  
  
As he rose to walk into the kitchen, Lexi ran up to him, frantically screaming, and hid behind his legs. "Daddy, help me! Shane tried to kiss me!"  
  
Nick's eyes flashed with anger and a sense of protection as his jaw clenched. "He WHAT?"  
  
Warrick rose also, and his expression mirrored Nick's. "I'll kill him."  
  
Sara bit her lip to keep from laughing at the protective instincts of the two men.  
  
"And so it begins," Catherine teased.  
  
Sara could see Nick scanning the faces of the children in the yard, searching for Shane Richter, a boy in Lexi's class, and she placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"You and Warrick handle this and then round up the rugrats. Rosa and I'll get the cake. Cath, you wanna help us?" The strawberry blonde woman nodded and rose to join them.  
  
As they walked into the kitchen, they heard Nick's voice behind them. "Shane, c'mere, buddy, and we'll have a little chat . . ."  
  
The three women laughed as they pulled open the French doors that led to the kitchen.  
  
"Is the cake in the fridge?" Catherine asked.  
  
"Yeah," Sara replied. "You wanna get it while I grab Lexi's presents from the dining room?"  
  
"Sure," Catherine answered as she pulled open the refrigerator door.  
  
"Rosa, can you grab the cake plates from the pantry?" Sara asked.  
  
"Of course, Mrs. Stokes," she replied with a smile as she moved across the room.  
  
Sara walked into the other room and smiled as she grabbed the three presents from the table. Two boxes contained clothes, and the other was something special that she and Nick had gotten for her two weeks before, but had saved for her birthday. Sara only hoped the little girl wouldn't be disappointed.  
  
She walked back into the kitchen and nearly dropped the parcels when she saw the woman standing near the counter, talking animatedly to Catherine and Rosa.  
  
"Jackie?" she exclaimed, and the blonde grinned when she saw Sara.  
  
"In the flesh," she answered, her blue-gray eyes twinkling. "Jet-lagged, wishing I had a drink, but you know I wouldn't miss Lexi's party for the world."  
  
Jacqueline Bennett was Warrick's long-time girlfriend, and nationally acclaimed writer. She had recently published two bestsellers, and spent most of her time touring the country to promote sales of her dramatic crime novels.  
  
"When did you get here?" she asked, setting the boxes on the counter and wrapping the younger woman in a hug.  
  
"My flight got in about two hours ago," she explained.  
  
"Does Warrick know you're here yet?" Catherine asked.  
  
Jackie shook her head. "Nope. When I got here, he and Nick were having what looked like an intense discussion with one of the boys, so I thought I'd come in here and see if I could help you gals with anything."  
  
"I think we've got it under control," Sara answered, "But you can grab those extra napkins if you want."  
  
"Anything to help the chaos," she replied with a smile as she grabbed the stack from the counter.  
  
Sara picked up the gifts and led the way to the door, thanking Jackie when she held it open so that the three older women could walk onto the patio.  
  
"I'm gonna go tell Nick and Warrick that the cake's ready," Sara announced when they had placed everything on the picnic table.  
  
"Could I?" Jackie asked. "I wanna surprise Warrick."  
  
Sara nodded. "Be my guest."  
  
Jackie grinned and walked slowly across the grass to where the two men had just finished talking to Shane. "Hey sexy," she whispered in Warrick's ear, causing him to jump.  
  
"Jackie?" he exclaimed. She grinned widely and he scooped his girlfriend in his arms, spinning her once before planting her firmly on the ground and capturing her lips in kiss. "When did you get here?" he asked as they pulled apart.  
  
Jackie ran her fingers through his hair. "My flight got in about two hours ago, and I just got here about ten minutes ago."  
  
Warrick pulled her towards him again and kissed the top of her head. "God, I missed you," he whispered into her blonde hair.  
  
"I know," she whispered back. "I missed you too."  
  
"Ahem," Nick coughed, his lips spread across his face in a grin. "Hate to interrupt, but.there are small, impressionable children here and I don't want Shane getting any more ideas."  
  
"Oh, hey Nick," Jackie greeted, turning to face him, Warrick's hands still wrapped protectively around her waist.  
  
"Good to have you back, Jackie," he said sincerely.  
  
Jackie looked up at Warrick and smiled. "Good to be back."  
  
"How long are you here for?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest.  
  
"Only for two weeks," she answered with a regretful sigh. "Then it's off to the east coast for a month."  
  
"Ouch," Nick winced. "Why so short?"  
  
Jackie shrugged her shoulders. "It was all my publicist could arrange. But two weeks is better than nothing, I guess."  
  
Nick nodded. "I don't know how you two do it. It would kill me to be away from Sara for that long."  
  
Jackie and Warrick looked at each other and Warrick tightened his grip on her waist as she leaned back into him. "I know," she replied. "I hate being away from Warrick, but it's my job. I gotta do it, ya know?"  
  
"I understand," Nick answered.  
  
"Oh! Cake!" Jackie exclaimed. "That's why I came over here. Sara wants you two to round up the kids and tell them that the cake's ready."  
  
Nick laughed. "Okay."  
  
"I'm gonna go see if Sara needs any more help," Jackie said, offering Warrick a quick kiss before crossing the lawn to the patio.  
  
A few minutes later, Nick and Warrick had the kids gathered round Lexi, who sat at the head of the picnic table, while they sang 'Happy Birthday'. Soon the cake had been cut and pieces shoveled down, and it was time to open presents.  
  
"Open mine first, Lexi!" Lindsey insisted. "You'll love it."  
  
Lexi tore off the paper and squealed with delight when she saw the GirlTek Password Journal 2.  
  
"This is what I wanted more than anything!" she exclaimed. "Thanks, Lindsey. Thanks Catherine."  
  
Lexi opened the rest of her presents until there were only five left on the table. "Who're these from?" she asked.  
  
"This one's from Grissom, and that one's from Greg," Sara explained, pointing to two of the gifts. "They had to pull a double, but they wanted to make sure you got your presents. And the other three are from me and Daddy."  
  
Lexi pulled Grissom's card from its envelope and read, "This should help you expand your library from 'Harriet the Spy'. Hope they aren't too hard for you, but I thought you'd like a challenge. Love, Grissom."  
  
She tore off the paper to reveal a boxed set of the first twelve 'Nancy Drew' mystery stories. "Wow! Thanks, Grissom. Even though you're not here."  
  
She placed the books on the table and opened Greg's gift. Inside was a Mary-Kate and Ashley video game for her Gameboy. "Awesome!" she exclaimed as she read the back. When she finished, she placed it on the table next to her other gifts and reached for the ones from her parents.  
  
She grinned as she ripped the paper off one of the boxes. Inside was a pair of khaki cargo pants and a lime green peasant top, along with a pair of matching lime sandals. In the other box was a yellow sundress with sunflower heads scattered across it, as well as a pair of white sandals.  
  
"It's those outfits I saw when we went shopping!" she exclaimed happily. "Thanks Mom! Thanks Daddy!"  
  
Sara and Nick exchanged a glance and looked back down at Lexi, who was still admiring her gift. "What did you say, munchkin?"  
  
Lexi looked up at them quizzically. "Uh, it's the outfits I saw when we went shopping?"  
  
"No, the other part," Sara said softly, "You called me 'mom'."  
  
Lexi's eyes fell to the gift on her lap. "Is-is that okay?"  
  
Sara placed a finger under Lexi's chin, bringing the little girl's gaze to meet her own. "It's more than okay."  
  
"Thanks, Mom," Lexi said with a small smile.  
  
Shane sniggered behind them and Lindsey quickly elbowed him in the ribs, eliciting a yelp of pain from the child and a reprimanding look from Catherine.  
  
"You're welcome," Sara said. "But you forgot your last present."  
  
Lexi grabbed the final gift from the table and carefully ripped off the paper. Sara laced her fingers with Nick's and he squeezed her hand as they watched Lexi's reaction to the gift. Her eyes grew wide as she saw what it was.  
  
"Really?" she exclaimed, and Nick and Sara nodded, grins spread across both their faces.  
  
It was a pewter picture frame, the words 'I'm a Big Sister' spelled out in lopsided, rainbow colored letters on the top.  
  
"We're having a baby," Sara announced, squeezing Nick's hand. Soon the couple was flooded with hugs and shouts of 'Congratulations'.  
  
"I'm so happy for you guys," Catherine said, pulling both her friends into a hug. "Congratulations."  
  
"Way to go, man," Warrick said as he shook Nick's hand and thumped his back. "Congrats."  
  
"I'm so excited!" Jackie exclaimed as she embraced Sara. "When are you due?"  
  
"May," Sara answered with a grin.  
  
"Congratulations," Jackie said, still grinning. "You two must be thrilled."  
  
"We are," Nick said, placing his hands on his wife's waist.  
  
"And what about you, Miss Lexi?" Jackie asked, turning to the little girl, who was beaming next to her parents. "Are you excited?"  
  
"I can't wait!" she exclaimed. "I've always wanted a little brother or sister. But I hope it's a girl."  
  
Jackie laughed as Rosa walked up to the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Stokes, congratulations. I'm so happy for the both of you," she said, her words joyful though her expression was filled with worry. "But I have to talk to you right away."  
  
"Don't worry, Rosa," Nick said with a wink. "You'll be getting a raise once the baby's born. We wouldn't expect you to do all that extra work for nothing."  
  
Rosa shook her head. "It's not that, Mr. Stokes. But I must talk to you."  
  
Nick and Sara exchanged worried glances as they followed Rosa a few feet away to a quieter part of the yard.  
  
"What's wrong?" Sara asked.  
  
"You have no idea how hard this is for me, especially on such a happy day, so I'll just say it quickly and get it over with," Rosa began, sucking in a deep breath. "I'm moving to Florida."  
  
"What?" Sara exclaimed. "Why?"  
  
"My daughter's getting married, and I'm moving there to be closer to her. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Stokes," Rosa said with a shake of her head. "This past year has been wonderful, and I love taking care of Lexi, and I would love to take care of your new little baby, but my daughter needs me right now. I'm so, so sorry."  
  
Nick ran a hand across his face. "No, no, of course, your daughter comes first." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Um, when do you need to go?"  
  
"Very soon," Rosa said sadly. "Consider this my two weeks notice."  
  
Sara sighed audibly and ran a hand through her hair. "Great."  
  
"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Stokes." With that Rosa crossed the lawn and rejoined the party.  
  
Sara frowned and turned to her husband. "What are we going to do?  
  
But Nick didn't have an answer for her.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
A/N~ I just want to say that I know the idea of Sara having a baby is played out in a lot of stories, but I promise that it's not going to be the main focus of this fic. I've still got a few things up my sleeves!  
  
Please review and let me know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated.  
  
~Emily 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: CSI and it's characters do not belong to me. The only characters that I own are Lexi, Rosa, Corinne, Jessica, and basically any other ones you don't recognize.  
  
Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me so long to get this out. The holiday season's been pretty hectic, and I just haven't had time to sit down uninterrupted and type.  
  
I'll be introducing a few new characters in this chapter, and I want to point out that Corinne is pronounced Ker-IN, with the emphasis on the second syllable. I think that's the only name you might be unsure of how to say. If there are any others, just let me know in your reviews and I'll clarify the pronunciation.  
  
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to cRaZyPiXiE. I can always count on her for a pat on the back for whatever I write, and I don't think there's anything I've written that she hasn't reviewed, which means so much to me. Thank you, pixie. Your feedback makes my day. c,")  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Nick looked up as Sara dumped a stack of envelopes in front of him. He was sitting at the break room table, steaming cup of coffee in hand, reading the sports section with his feet propped up on the chair in front of him.  
  
"What's all this?" he asked, folding the paper and setting it aside as he picked up one of the envelopes.  
  
"More responses to the nanny ad," Sara answered as she grabbed the coffee pot from the counter and poured herself a cup. "We're going to have to pick someone soon, Nick. This is getting ridiculous."  
  
Nick shook his head as he slipped a finger under the seal of the envelope and pulled out a crisp sheet of paper. "There hasn't been anyone good enough. You know how long it took us to decide on Rosa. Besides, this is our daughter we're talking about. We can't just leave her with some stranger we know nothing about."  
  
"I know," Sara replied, somewhat defensively, her forehead crinkling. "I know that. But I also know that in three days Rosa will be gone, and we haven't even come close to choosing a replacement."  
  
Nick said nothing as he read the piece of paper in front of him. A moment later he tossed it on the table and grabbed another envelope.  
  
"What was wrong with that one?" Sara asked, picking up the discarded sheet of paper.  
  
"Released on parole two months ago," Nick answered. Sara's lips formed a silent 'oh' as she crumpled the paper and tossed it in the garbage.  
  
"This one looks promising," Nick commented as he read another resume. "Twenty-three years old, moved from New York to Vegas a year ago. Currently working as a waitress at Ellen's Café."  
  
Sara walked around the table and skimmed the paper over her husband's shoulders. "Jessica McCormack," she read contemplatively. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"  
  
Nick shrugged his shoulders as he handed the paper to his wife. "Beats me. Should we call her?"  
  
"Yeah," Sara said as she raised the steaming coffee mug to her lips. "Set up an appointment for tomorrow morning."  
  
Nick cringed slightly at her words and tried to mask it, but he wasn't quick enough for Sara.  
  
"What?" she demanded.  
  
Nick's face once again contorted into a cringe, and he moved towards the coffee pot, Sara trailing close behind him.  
  
"What?" she demanded again, this time more forcefully.  
  
"Tomorrow morning I have to go pick someone up at the airport," he said slowly as he refilled his mug with the steaming, dark liquid.  
  
Sara's forehead crinkled with his response. "Who?"  
  
"Now, honey, don't get mad at me," Nick began slowly, his accent thick with nervousness. "Rosa'll be gone in a few days, so I called in some reinforcements."  
  
Sara's patience was running thin and she shot Nick a look that could only be described as lethal. "Who?"  
  
"My mother."  
  
~*~*~  
  
"Next time I'm in town, we're going to that restaurant again," Jackie announced as she and Warrick strolled hand in hand along the Strip. "That food was amazing."  
  
"Glad you approve," Warrick said with a smile, and Jackie turned and grinned at him.  
  
They continued walking amidst the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas nightlife in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. Jackie paused when they reached an ice cream stand on a corner.  
  
"What do you say to a scoop of Rocky Road?" she asked with a playful glint in her blue eyes. "My treat."  
  
"I say yes to the ice cream and no to you paying," Warrick answered as he pulled his wallet from his back pocket.  
  
"Baby, let me pay," Jackie insisted. "What's the rule? Whoever asks, buys."  
  
"I hate that rule," Warrick admitted with a smile as he peeled a ten from the wad of bills and handed it to the man behind the cart.  
  
Jackie let out an exaggerated sigh and crossed her arms across her chest. "You just hate that rule because it hurts your big macho ego."  
  
"And you just love it because it builds up your feminist one," he countered as he graciously took the two ice cream cones from the vendor.  
  
"No," Jackie corrected with a teasing smile, "I just love it because you're the one who does most of the asking."  
  
"Oh, so that's how it is?" he chuckled as they continued their walk. "In that case, fork over ten bucks."  
  
"Uh-uh," Jackie grinned, licking the side of her cone. "I offered to pay, but you refused. Guess you're outta luck, buddy."  
  
Warrick laughed and grabbed the cone from his girlfriend's grasp, tossing it in a nearby garbage can along with his own.  
  
"Hey!" she exclaimed. "What'd you do that for? I wasn't finished."  
  
Warrick took a step closer and placed his hands on either side of Jackie's waist. "I just thought of something better," he said huskily.  
  
"Oh yeah?" she asked, and Warrick nodded as his girlfriend's arms wrapped around his neck. "And what would that be?"  
  
Warrick leaned in and whispered seductively into her ear. "I have ice cream at my place."  
  
Jackie grinned as she captured Warrick's lips with hers. "I like the way you think, Mr. Brown."  
  
Warrick merely grinned in return.  
  
~*~*~  
  
Delays and cancellations flashed across the arrival board at the airport where the Stokes family was anxiously waiting, but thankfully it looked like their anticipated flight would be on time.  
  
"Is Grandma here yet?" Lexi asked impatiently as she shoved a handful of M&M's into her mouth. They had been sitting on a set of chairs near the gate for almost an hour, and the little girl was growing antsier with each passing minute.  
  
"Not yet, shortcake," Nick replied. "But she should be here soon."  
  
Lexi sighed dramatically as she popped more pieces of the chocolate into her mouth. "I'm gonna miss my ballet class. I wanted Grandma to see my solo for the recital."  
  
"You can show her at home," Sara pointed out as she reached over and grabbed a few M&M's from Lexi's bag.  
  
"Hey!" the little girl exclaimed. "Those are mine."  
  
Sara shot her a warning look, and Lexi's protests stopped, although she slyly slid the bag to the other side of her body. Nick laughed at the exchange and pulled a dollar bill from his pocket.  
  
"Lex, why don't you go get Sara her own bag?" Nick suggested as he handed her the bill. Lexi gladly took the money and rushed off to the vending machine at the opposite end of the room.  
  
When Sara was sure Lexi was out of earshot, she turned to Nick and her eyes flashed with anger.  
  
"I still can't believe you invited your mother without talking to me first," Sara hissed quietly so that no one but Nick could hear her.  
  
"Yeah, well, if I talked to you first, you would say no," Nick explained matter-of-factly.  
  
"Then why the hell did you invite her in the first place if you knew I wouldn't want her here?" Sara asked hotly.  
  
"Because we need someone here in the meantime, and your mother sure as hell won't want to come and play babysitter," Nick replied somewhat testily.  
  
Sara knew he had a point there, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of agreeing with him.  
  
"You still should have talked to me about it."  
  
Nick ran a hand across his face and sighed. "I don't know why you don't like her."  
  
"It's not that I don't like her," Sara said. "She's just so . . . perfect. She's the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect . . . everything. I feel like I'm always being scrutinized, like she's waiting for me to screw up so she can prove that she's better than me."  
  
"Sara, my mother would never think that," Nick insisted as he placed an arm across his wife's shoulder. "Believe me. She loves you."  
  
"I highly doubt that," Sara said sarcastically.  
  
"It's true," Nick assured her as he rubbed her back with on hand, the other draped across the back of the seat. "And if Mom was here I'm sure she'd tell you the same thing."  
  
"I'm sure I would," a voice said behind them. "Whatever it is."  
  
"Mom!" Nick greeted happily as he rose from his chair and wrapped his mother in a hug. "It's good to see you."  
  
"Good to see you, too, Nicky," she replied with a smile as she pulled away.  
  
"It's good to see you, Mrs. Stokes," Sara said as she wrapped the older woman in a hug.  
  
"Sara, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Corinne?" she asked with a teasing smile, her accent thick as honey. "You make me feel like an old lady."  
  
Sara reciprocated the smile and hoped that her worries and insecurities about her mother-in-law's visit were misplaced. "Welcome back, Corinne."  
  
"It feels good to be here with my baby boy and his family," Corinne said with a wink. "Lord, it's been months since my last visit. And you, little lady," she said, looking down at Lexi, who was tightly holding her grandmother's hand. "Must have grown three inches since the last time I saw you. Did those clothes Grandpa and I sent you for your birthday fit?"  
  
"Yup," Lexi grinned with a nod. "They're perfect. Thanks."  
  
"You're very welcome," Corinne replied, smiling down at the little girl.  
  
"We should probably go get your bags," Nick suggested, and his mother nodded as she hoisted her carry-on over her shoulder.  
  
"I wasn't sure what to bring, since I didn't know how long you'd need me," Corinne explained. "So try not to have a heart attack when you see all my bags."  
  
"I'm sure it's not that bad," Nick said with a laugh as he led the way to the baggage claim.  
  
"Oh, you'd be surprised, Nicky," Corinne replied with a smile.  
  
Lexi reached into her pocket and pulled out the bag of M&M's. "Here, Mom. I forgot to give them to you," she said as she handed them to Sara.  
  
Corinne raised her eyebrows at Lexi's use of the word 'mom' but said nothing.  
  
"Thanks, munchkin," Sara replied as she ripped off the edge of the bag and popped a few into her mouth.  
  
"And Mom?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Lexi paused and bit her bottom lip before continuing. "Could we go to Ellen's for lunch?"  
  
"We bought all those cold cuts, remember?" Sara said. "We'll have that."  
  
"But mom.."  
  
"No buts," Sara admonished. "We're having sandwiches."  
  
"You know, Lexi," Corinne began with a smile, "I'd much rather have a sandwich right now. But I'm sure your mom--" At this she paused and cast a smile at Sara. "-Wouldn't mind if we went there for dinner, would you Sara?"  
  
Sara bit her tongue to keep from bringing up the lasagna she had prepared earlier that morning and forced a smile at her mother-in-law. "Sure, why not."  
  
"Terrific!" Corinne exclaimed. Turning to Lexi, she said, "Lexi, wanna help me get my bags?"  
  
Lexi nodded and the two headed toward the carousel.  
  
"Ellen's..." Nick pondered aloud, "Isn't that where that girl works? The one who answered the ad?"  
  
"I think so," Sara replied. "Which reminds me: did you ever call her?"  
  
Nick shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "I guess I forgot."  
  
"Well call her and make an appointment for tomorrow," Sara instructed. "I don't know how much more of your mother I can take."  
  
~*~*~  
  
A/N~ Next chapter: More about the case (thought I'd forgotten about it, didn't ya?) and the interview with Jessica McCormack. Possibly some other stuff, but I'm not making any promises. Lol  
  
I hope Sara didn't come off as a bitch in this chapter. One of my New Year's Resolutions (one of many) is to make my characters more realistic. And the fact of the matter is, no one's perfect. You show me someone who's happy and cheery all the time and I'll show you someone who's either looney or high. But, if you think any of my characters are acting OOC, please let me know. Constructive criticism helps me improve my writing, and I thrive for it.  
  
~Emily 


	4. Chapter Four

Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to PeTiTeCaT, another one of my faithful readers who I can always count on for support of my fics.  Thank you so much!

Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last two chapters: CSIaddict, LynnM, Sprinkles143, Lil'River, MissyJane, Megs23, cRaZyPiXiE, Dolly, Stokes-CSI3, LyraAndCassiopia, spikes-storm, PrettyPerfect, PeTiTeCaT, and Nepeace 

And to Megan: Actually, I went to school with a girl named Corinne, and I just thought it was a nice name. lol

Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out.  I can't guarantee that I'll get the rest of the chapters out quicker, but I can guarantee that I'll try.  I just hope you'll stick with me and see this story through.  It's all I ask. ;-) 

See chapter one for disclaimer.

~*~*~*~

The velvety darkness hung over Las Vegas like a blanket, wrapping around the houses in the quiet, residential community where Warrick slowed the dark blue Tahoe to a stop.  The street was empty, save the Tahoe and the cruiser parked on the other side of the road, and the only sound was that of the soft crunching pebbles as they pelted against the underside of the truck.  The community was far enough away from the Strip that the blaringly garish lights didn't disturb the pleasant feel of the neighborhood, yet close enough that the residents were deprived the twinkling night stars.  To Warrick, who had lived in the city his whole life, it was a fair trade-off.

He opened the door and hopped out, silver field kit in hand.  Catherine, seated next to him on the passenger side, followed suit.  As they exited the vehicle, Detective O'Riley stepped out of the police car where he had evidently been waiting for the investigators to arrive, and took a gulp from the steaming Starbucks cup he held in one hand.

"'Bout time you guys got here," he said, taking another gulp from the cup before shifting it so he held it around the rim.

Catherine shrugged her shoulders.  "We were on another case."

O'Riley said nothing but led the two CSI's toward the house and under the yellow police tape strung around the perimeter.  "Vic's in the back bedroom," he informed them when they reached the door, letting the CSI's take the lead as he straggled behind.

They reached the bedroom and found a heavyset blond woman slumped in a computer chair, blood trickling down her face and matting her hair.  Her denim blue eyes stared blankly at the computer monitor - which by now was in screen-saver mode - as the words 'Dawn Loves Richie' bouncing lazily across the black screen, and her hand was resting lightly on the mouse pad.

"Name's Angelica Roselli," O'Riley announced from the doorway, "Age 39."

Catherine nodded and opened her field kit, pulling out a few swabs.  She carefully pulled down the plastic covering and took a sample of blood from the victim's head, then labeled it and placed it in the kit.  She repeated the steps and took samples from various streaks of blood on the woman's body, as well as the chair and surrounding carpet, hoping, though knowing it wasn't likely, that there was more than just the dead woman's blood there.

Meanwhile, Warrick searched for the bullet casing.  He smiled when he found it near the inside edge of one of the chair wheels, and bagged and labeled it.  When he finished, he took a look at the body, careful not to disturb any evidence.

"Single shot, through and through," he commented, moving in and getting a closer look at the bullet hole in their victim's head.  "Which means the bullet's gotta be here somewhere."

He rose and quickly glanced around the room, almost instantly seeing it in the wall behind the computer.  He moved closer to it and swore under his breath when he saw how tightly it was lodged in the wall.

"What's the matter?" Catherine asked, looking up from the hair she was depositing in a baggie.

"The damn bullet's so far into the wall," he complained.  "There's no way I'm gonna be able to get it out without compromising the evidence."

Catherine couldn't help but smile at her co-worker's frustration.  "Then you know what you gotta do," she said, shooting him a knowing look before picking up a black marker to label the baggie in her hand.

"C'mon, Cath," Warrick practically whined.  "I can't just take a chunk out of the wall."

Catherine's lips twitched into a smirk as she popped the cap back on her marker.  "Nicky hadda bring a tree back to the lab; you can handle a little plaster."

Warrick swore again and Catherine bit her lip to keep from laughing at the situation.  She rose from her crouched position on the floor and stretched her back, wincing when she heard it crack.  "I'm getting old," she murmured to herself, and Warrick turned from where he was marking the wall to look at her.

"You?" he exclaimed, his face scrunching up and his expression clearly saying 'yeah right'.  "You're gorgeous, Cath.  You'll never get old."

Catherine smiled in gratitude for her friend's reassuring words, but she shook her head.  "Nah.  I feel like an old lady these days.  Lindsey's growing up too damn quick.  She's twelve now, you know that?"

Warrick opened his eyes wide and whistled under his breath.  "Then I must be getting old, too," he commented as he returned to his work.  "Seems like yesterday she was jumping into my arms and drawing those pictures for the fridge in the break room."

Catherine nodded in agreement as she lifted prints from around the computer.  "The only person's arms she's interested in jumping into these days are Jeremy Luka's."

"Who?"

"A boy in her class," Catherine explained.  "She's got a huge crush on him."

Warrick scoffed as he made an incision in the wall.  "Lindsey's too young to have a crush."

"She's twelve," Catherine said.  "Be thankful it's only a crush; I had my first kiss when I was her age."

Warrick shook his head, shying away from the thought of the lab's little princess kissing a boy.  

Catherine smiled at her friend's obvious discomfort and turned back to her work.  She lifted Angelica Roselli's hand from the mouse and carefully dusted it for prints.  When she peeled the sticky sheet and placed it down to lift the print, the mouse moved and the floating 'Dawn Loves Richie" disappeared. 

She quickly labeled the print and put it in her kit, then studied the computer screen.  The woman had obviously been in the middle of checking her email when she was killed, because one message was open, halfway scrolled down.  Catherine scrolled back up to the beginning and added the sender's address to her memory bank: marguerite@dawnsfiction.net.  She then began to read aloud the body of the letter.

"Hey Angie!  Did you watch today's episode?  Wait a second, what am I saying?  Of course you watched it!!  I guess I'm just asking what you thought. lol Wasn't it great?  I loved Dawn's line at the end.  You know, where she told Tom she couldn't be with him anymore.  That means she can go back to Richie!! Gosh, I'm just so excited!  I already have a post-ep in the works…Tom will get in a jealous rage and kidnap her, and then Richie can come to her rescue and they'll get married and have lots of babies!  Oh, wouldn't it be great if they did that on the show? lol  We can only dream…  But I definitely think they'll get back together now.  

And can you believe Reese has a twin?!?!?! 

Marg"

"What the hell was that?" Warrick asked, abandoning his work at removing a chunk of the wall to read the email over Catherine's shoulders.

"I have no idea," she replied.  "I guess they were both fans of a show."  She pulled out the keyboard, which had already been dusted, and typed 'dawnsfiction.net' in the address bar.  A website with a lavender background and a scrolling marquee popped up.  The heading spelled out 'By Dawn's Light' in flowing, purple cursive, and the background depicted a sunrise peaking over the horizon.  The second heading read 'Fan Fiction, Fan Art, and Discussion Forums for fans of the Soap Opera', and the words "We'll Meet Again', now updated!!' scrolled across the marquee.

"What the hell?" Catherine asked as she scrolled up and down the page.

"It's a soap opera," Warrick explained.  "It chronicles the life of Dawn Matthews and her boss/lover, Richard Wells.  He's a lawyer and she's his secretary, and they have this steamy, on-again-off-again romance.  Right now, though, she's dating his stepbrother, Tom.  But I guess today they broke it off."

"And who's Reese?"

"Reese is Dawn's best friend.  She's an intern at Richard's law firm," Warrick answered.

A wide-eyed Catherine shook her head.  "I'm not gonna even ask how you know all this stuff."

Warrick laughed as he pulled out his cell phone.  "Sara and I had a case about two weeks ago with a girl who was heavily into this show.  Marissa Cramer.  We had to do a lot of research," he clarified.  "She had all these disks with collages and episode transcripts and stories about the characters that she wrote herself.  I think that's what fan fiction is."

Catherine nodded and let Warrick continue.

"There wasn't much to go on, so the case was left unsolved," he finished.

"And you think there's a link between this case and that one?" Catherine asked.

Warrick shrugged his shoulders.  "Could be.  Or it could just be a coincidence.  Completely different MO's.  Marissa Cramer was tall, thin, dark-haired, and stabbed through the heart.  Angelica's short, heavy, blonde, and shot through the head.  But I don't know.  I've just got this…"

"Gut feeling?" Catherine prodded.

Warrick nodded and indicated the cell phone at his ear.  "That's why I'm calling Sara."

~*~*~*~

Most of the house lights were off, save two lamps burning brightly in the family room where Nick was stretched out lazily on the couch, one hand resting lightly behind his head.  A large bowl of popcorn balanced on top of his flat stomach and a tall glass of soda was sitting on the coffee table next to him.  The volume of the television was low as Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts flashed across the screen.  Nick reached for the soda as the phone rang, and he took a gulp from the glass as he picked up the cordless phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Warrick."

Nick reached for the remote sitting next to him and quickly hit the pause button.  "Hey, man," he greeted.  "What's up?"

"Nothing much.  You busy?" Warrick asked on the other end of the line.

"Nope," Nick replied.  "Just watching a movie."

"Which one?"

"Conspiracy Theory," Nick answered.

"Good movie," Warrick commented.  After a pause, he said, "Is Sara there with you?"

Nick shook his head and looked up at the stairs, although he knew his friend couldn't see him.  "No, she's sleeping."

Even through the phone line, Nick could hear Warrick's shock.  "Sleeping?" he asked incredulously.  "We talking about the same Sara Sidle here?"

Nick's face broke into a grin and he laughed a bit.  "First of all, it's Stokes.  You should know that by now," he corrected, although his tone was teasing.  "Second of all, she's pregnant.  Raging hormones and all that jazz.  I'm glad she's been sleeping more.  It's better for her and the baby."

Warrick grimaced at the other end of the line.  "Then you're gonna hate me."

"Why?"

"We need her to come into work.  Cath and I are working a case, and I think there's a link to that case Sara and I worked a couple weeks ago," Warrick explained.

Nick ran a hand across his face and through his short cropped hair.  "You sure you need her?  Couldn't you just handle it till next shift?"

"Both vics were fans of this soap opera, 'By Dawn's Light'," Warrick explained.  "Our first vic had all these disks with information about the show.  Sara's the one who went through it all.  I only know what she told me."

Nick let out an exaggerated sigh and placed the popcorn bowl on the coffee table.  "Alright, fine.  She'll be there in an hour."

"An hour?" Warrick exclaimed.  "Why so long?"

"You think I'm gonna wake up a pregnant woman who really needs her rest and then tell her she has to rush to get to work on top of it?" Nick demanded.  "She'd bite my head off."

"Point taken," Warrick agreed.  "Tell Sara I'll see her at the lab."

Nick hung up the phone and looked up at the stairs, completely dreading the task ahead.

~*~*~*~

Sara walked briskly through the halls of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, searching for Warrick and Catherine.  She found them in one of the computer labs, both hunched over monitors.

"So what was so important that you had to drag me out of bed on my night off?" she questioned as she made her presence known.  Both colleagues turned and offered half smiles.

"Sorry, Sar," Warrick apologized as he pulled a wheeling chair from the wall and positioned it next to his computer.  He motioned for her to sit, and she gladly took the opportunity to collapse into the cushioned seat.

"So what's up?" she asked, leaning over her friend to glance at the computer screen.

"Remember that Marissa Cramer case from a few weeks ago?" Warrick asked.  "The one that went unsolved?"

Sara nodded as the details of the case came back to her.  "Single stab through the heart.  Knife was wiped and there were no epithelials or foreign substances.  And the only blood was the vic's.  What about it?"

"Remember all those disks we collected from the scene?"

Sara nodded again.  "That stuff from the soap opera, 'By Dawn's Light'.  But I thought we'd decided it was irrelevant to the case?"

"That's why we called you in," Catherine said, speaking up for the first time since Sara had entered the room.  "We think there may be a link between that case and the one we're working now."

"Why?"

"Angelica Roselli, our vic, was found slumped over her computer, shot once through the head.  She was a pretty big fan of that soap opera."

Sara still didn't seem convinced.  "It could just be a coincidence."

"It could," Warrick agreed.  "But I don't think so."  He reached over and grabbed a paper from a manila folder next to the computer.  "These are the ratings for the show."

He handed the paper to Sara, who quickly skimmed it.  "Ratings are low.  Really low," she commented.

"That's why I don't think it's a coincidence," Warrick said.  "It's not that popular, and very low-budget.  The odds of two die-hard fans in Vegas being murdered within weeks of each other aren't high."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"See if you can find a connection between the two victims.  Look at email correspondences, websites they frequented, anything that could link them together," Catherine said.

"And you two will be…?" she asked, letting her sentence trail.

"Processing the evidence," Warrick answered.

Sara nodded and clacked her tongue.  "Gotcha."

Warrick and Catherine rose from their chairs and left the computer lab, leaving Sara alone.  She let out a long sigh and rubbed her temple.  

"So much for my night off."

~*~*~*~

The early rays of morning peeked through the blinds in Lexi's bedroom where she lay asleep under a sea of blankets, Nala clutched tightly to her chest.

The door creaked open as Simba walked into the room, sniffing the toys and furniture as he made his way to the bed.  He laid his head on the mattress and stuck his nose under Lexi's arm, urging her to wake up.

Lexi stirred when she felt his cold, wet nose rub against her skin, and she giggled as she opened her eyes.  "Hey Simba," she greeted, rubbing the black and tan mutt's head as he wagged his tail happily.

Lexi flung her legs over the side of the bed and hopped off, leaving her rag doll on the pillow.  "C'mon, Simba," she said, "Let's see if anyone else is up yet."

She walked into the kitchen, the dog trailing happily behind her, and found Corinne seated at the kitchen table, teacup in hand and newspaper spread out in front of her.

"Morning, Grandma," she said, walking towards the older woman and wrapping her in a hug.

"Morning, kiddo," Corinne replied, kissing her granddaughter's forehead.  "Sleep good?"

Lexi nodded.  "Yup.  What's for breakfast?"

"Your dad bought crumb cake.  Want some?" she asked.

"Yes, please."

Corinne rose from her seat and walked toward the counter.  She grabbed a knife from the drawer and carefully cut a piece of the cake.  She placed it on a paper plate and poured a tall glass of orange juice for the little girl.

She returned to the table and placed the plate and glass, as well as a fork, in front of Lexi, who was sitting in her usual spot.

"Thanks, Grandma," she said, taking a large gulp from the glass and a forkful of crumb cake.  "Where're Mom and Daddy?"

"Sara had to go into work last night, and your dad's in the shower," Corinne explained.

"What time did Mom have to go to work?" Lexi asked as she swallowed another forkful of cake.

"I'm not sure," Corinne answered truthfully.  "But it must have been late.  I was sleeping."

Lexi seemed satisfied with her grandmother's answer as she took a gulp of juice.  "Are we doing anything today?" she asked.

"Well," Corinne began, "Your parents are meeting with someone who may replace Rosa, so I thought you and I could go shopping so we're not in their hair.  I told your father I'm sure you wouldn't mind getting some new things.  What do you think?" she asked with a wink.

The little girl's grin was answer enough.

~*~*~*~

Sara rubbed her tired eyes as she opened the umpteenth 'By Dawn's Light' website that night.  The work assigned to her had quickly gone from being an easy task to a mundane chore, and her frustration at not finding anything was quickly mounting.

She clicked on a link labeled 'Filks and Song Fics' and scrolled down, getting angrier with Warrick and Catherine with each passing title.  Suddenly something caught her eye, and she quickly scrolled back up, smiling in triumph when she confirmed what she had seen.  The summary under the title read:

'A D/R filk to the tune of Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain', written by your favorite dynamic duo, Angie and Marissa!!'

Sara pulled her cell phone off the clip on her belt loop and dialed a familiar number.

"Warrick?  I think I got something."

~*~*~*~

A/N~ I know I said that they would meet Jessica McCormack in this chapter, but it just got to be too long, so I decided to keep it for the next chapter.  Drop me a line and let me know what you think!

~Emily


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